The Henge Ball
by Tazaki4
Summary: One Shot: inspired by some fan art, don't know whos. A dance where everyone is in a henge. What will happen? NaruHina and others. When Itachi Uchiha shows up will the night be ruined? M for Blood, not lemons.


I swore to myself I would never do a one shot. I hate short stories because they have very little depth to their characters most of the time. But just today I have a glimpse of inspiration and I need to write this now. I have no place for this in my current story or any other story I can think of. So it will be my first, and probably last, one shot. It needed a slightly different Naruto then I usually write, slightly more brooding and downcast inside while upbeat as usual on the outside. Hinata is also a little more, but not much, more forward. So, enjoy this here baby story!

If you are just reading this, I updated it to make it more readable.

* * *

The Henge Ball!

* * *

Tsunade slept on her desk the same as any other day. It was past noon already, and a young woman was coming to see her.

"Don't go in there! If she wakes up we are both going to get it!"

"B…but I need to see her." The door to the Hokage's office creaked open to reveal a small, indigo haired woman. Slightly under twenty by the looks of her. She wore a large coat that hid all of her body's features. Her hair was waist length, the same as her mother's. She crept into the office of the sleeping Hokage with barely a sound, trained to be light on her feet and fast. Her body was made for stealth and speed, not strength like the Hokage napping before her.

"H…hokage, ma'am? I had an audience today…" The Hokage just snored on. The long haired beauty finally was close enough to touch the blond woman. She tapped the Hokage's shoulder and jumped back. She was just in time as a punch, strong enough to break bones, was sent in her direction.

"Why the HELL is anyone waking me up?" The Hokage finally looked up to see her guest. Her face instantly went from mad to kind. "Ah… Hinata. Sorry about that. So…" The Hokage was instantly business like. "What can I do for you?" Tsunade knew a lot about this girl. A weakling according to her own family, and a failure. After browsing through her files Tsunade could see for herself that the girl was anything but a failure. Also, strange as it might sound, every one of her teachers from the time see had entered into the ninja academy had written the same note next to her file._ Is infatuated with Naruto Uzumaki._ Tsunade couldn't help but smile at the one girl in the whole town that seemed to like the boy she had come to see as her younger brother.

"Well, Hokage ma'am, I was hoping to set up a d…dance." Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the young woman. "I had an idea for a shinobi ball. You see, people who come would need to be under a henge at all times. Then, at midnight, everyone removes their henges and sees who they have been dancing with…" Tsunade knew exactly who Hinata was hoping to dance with._ So she thinks that Naruto would only dance with her under a disguise? This girl is a little confused. Ever since she turned 18 not one girl in the village wouldn't have traded their looks for her…_ "Ok, I like it. It is a good idea and will put everyone's minds at ease over all this business with the Akatsuki. I will send out invitations, and it will be held tomorrow. I expect you to be there." Hinata smiled and bowed. "Thank you, Lady Hokage." "You can call me Tsunade, Hinata." "Thank you, Lady Tsunade." Hinata gracefully walked out of the room._ I know exactly what to do to give that girl a boost…_

"Bring me Naruto." "Yes ma'am." An ANBU jumped away from guarding the door. _Oh, yes. This will be fun._

* * *

Naruto was dumbfounded as he left the Hokage's office._ Damn, a dance. And I have to go? Blast… No one even wants to dance with me. I mean, Sakura still hasn't forgiven me for not bringing back Sasuke all those years ago. And then after I had to kill him… well, she and Ino hate me, that much I can tell. They only go out of their way to tell me day after day. Ten-ten is in love with Neji, even I can see that. Hinata… she is way out of my league. I mean, we're friends and she is really the only person I really trust besides maybe Shikamaru and Choji, but she is her clan's heir and she could have any one she wanted crawling at her feet… Well, at least it is a mission. I have to protect some woman going to this dance the whole time. Do whatever she wants. And not let her know I am actually her guard. Tsunade told me she would point her out at the dance. And I get to go under henge. All that means is that whoever this lady is won't be embarrassed by dancing with the Kyuubi container._

Naruto was back at his training ground. He called it his because the only person who ever trained there was him. It used to be team seven's, but there wasn't a team seven anymore… Naruto punched a tree in frustration. It shattered. "Damn! I am farther away then ever from my dream. I will never reach Hokage if no one respects me." He charged up his new and improved wind style rasengan and shoved it into a rock. "I can be as powerful as the kage and no one will care except Tsunade and maybe the friends I still have! Damn Sasuke! Damn him for leaving! Damn him for coming back…" The rock the size of a lare house exploded sending Naruto flying into a tree. Naruto fell to his knees. Tears threatened to pool in his eyes and he quickly wiped them away. _I need to calm down. A dance could be just what I need to get my mind off of things…_

After a few hand signs, Naruto used a Doton Jutsu to raise another rock from the ground.

* * *

Hinata was ready. She had already picked out her henge for the ball. It was perfectly _not_ her in any way. Tsunade had helped her develop the perfect henge. It was close to Hinata's real self except the skin was less pale and the hair was slightly shorter and the same yellow as Naruto's hair was. Her eyes were as blue as Naruto's normally were. _Naruto… I hope he is there._ "Of course he will be there, Hinata." Hinata blushed. Had she said that out loud? "No, but as Hokage I know everything. And it isn't hard to tell who you were thinking about. Especially when your cheeks grew more red then normal." Hinata sighed while Tsunade smirked.

"Every one seems to know I like him _except_ him…"

"It isn't like you are making it easy on him. How many times have you had a chance to say you like him and haven't?"

"A… lot?"

"Damn right! Now for a guy like Naruto, who doesn't even know that the word subtle is in the dictionary, you need to be a little more… forward about it. If you see someone tonight and think it might be him I would not hesitate to inform him covertly that you like Naruto. Just tell someone! It will get to him eventually. You can even make it look like you didn't even think it was him if you actually say it to him personally. Then pass out, you can always do that."

"But… but… I don't know if I can do it. I can't even be within three feet of him without going crazy! Remember that time in the hospital room! I knocked him out because he touched my forehead because he thought my blush was a fever! I have tried to tell him every time I have seen him but it always comes out wrong or I just can't say it."

"Well, then I would suggest this is the perfect time to tell him. It will be much easier if you don't even know if it is Naruto, and it doesn't look like him."

"O… ok, I will try."

"Good girl."

* * *

Naruto was also ready. His henge was a tried and true masterpiece. It was a handsome as a man could be. Semi-long, flowing, silky hair the color of midnight. The skin only slightly lighter then his regular complexion. The eyes were a dark shade of violet, it looked as if they burned with an inner fire. His cheek marks, signs of the demon inside of him, were impossible to remove, even with a henge. He left them on there, but disguised them as longer, solid stripe tattoos similar to an Inuzuka's. No one would recognize him.

_Now, if only I can find Tsuande to see who I am supposed to guard. _Naruto hopped up to the Hokage's window. The ANBU let him past, knowing they would suffer the wrath of the Hokage if they didn't.

"Grandma Tsunade!"

"What is it brat?"

"Don't call me brat!"

"Don't call me an old lady!"

"Whatever. So who is this lady I am supposed to protect. I expect it is someone important for it to be a B-ranked mission."

"More important then you could ever guess."_ Just the only girl in the town that loves you. And if that wasn't enough, she is a clan heiress._ "She will remain anonymous, this is the purpose of a henge ball, obviously. She will be slightly younger then you, almost a quarter meter shorter, yellow hair, blue eyes. She reminds me a lot of you. Oh, and she will be wearing a red kimono."

"Is she single?" Naruto was speaking half in jest, and Tsunade knew it.

"Why? You finally decide to settle down? Yes, I would say she is single. Not only that, but she is probably going to stay in Konoha for a long time. You can find out who she really is at midnight tonight." _Heh, this kid is looking around for a girlfriend? Just wait till he gets a load of this. _"Oh, and do not bring anything about who she really is into conversation. If she wants to talk to you about herself, let her. Whatever you do don't tell her who you are until the henges drop."

"Whatever you say, granny."

"Brat!"

"Old Lady!"

People reported seeing a flying yellow haired ninja around this same time. Coincidentally, a hole appeared in the Hokage's office wall at the same time.

* * *

The ball was ready to begin. Almost a hundred shinobi were inside the large great hall where chunin exams take place. Some henges were poor, while others were foolproof. It was obvious to everyone who Guy and Lee were. Everyone could see that the two men in black spandex pants and tight lime green shirts were the teacher-student pair. Even if they changed their hair color, they never changed their style. Others were harder to figure out. Naruto had been waiting for his "date" and was passing the time by trying to figure out who was who._ That one over there. Obviously Kiba, no one else would have an identical twin here. Shino is that one guy in the corner with sunglasses on, probably, even though his henge is perfect. Ino is that one over there, fawning over those two guys. The funny part is that the one she is paying attention to is Choji, by the looks of it. He keeps looking over at the food table. The guy with his hands in his pockets, Shikamaru. The girl beside him… ah a fan! Temari._

Naruto was just starting to have fun when a woman walked in that could only be called stunning. _That's… that's my mission? Who in there right mind would want to hurt her?_ The woman was exactly as Tsunade had describe to him. Any man near the door instantly froze in mid sentence to stare, open mouthed at the yellow haired beauty standing shyly in the door. She was wearing a tight red kimono that showed off every curve. Ankle length, but slit up the sides almost all of the way. She reminded him of his sexy jutsu, though it looked like his old jutsu could take inspiration from her. The hair was put up in a bun with long, jewel encrusted sticks. _Man, am I going to enjoy tonight._ Naruto appeared suddenly in front of the lady in red. She was blushing from the attention she was receiving.

"Would you like to dance, my lady?" The girl looked around at the group of people for a moment. Then she turned to Naruto.

"Yes, why not?"

* * *

Hinata was really enjoying herself. _It is easy to be myself when I have this mask on. And whoever this guy is… he is so nice to me. I haven't seen anyone who looks like Naruto yet, though as powerful as he is, he probably wouldn't leave any clues in his henge. _Hinata had danced for plenty of songs with the dark haired stranger. Her natural grace allowed her to perfectly dance. Her partner, though not nearly as practiced in dancing, was obviously a superb shinobi by the way he moved. If he ever made a mistake it was fixed before a second had past. His reaction speed and dexterity made them the sight to be seen. No one at ball had ever had as much training in etiquette as Hinata. As heir to her clan she had been taught at a young age to dance. Her partner, although he made the comment that he had never danced before, was able to follow her lead perfectly and still make it look like he was leading. One time he almost stepped on her foot, but instead of hurting her he had over extended his leg and lost balance. He had fallen down on his rear to find many people laughing. Hinata had helped him up before whispering a thank you into his ear. He smiled then, and his eyes shown. _Those eyes… are amazing. They are almost as amazing as Naruto's…_ After the incident her partner had only gotten better. He had made a comment that had reminded her of Naruto. Something about making mistakes, but learning from them. Hinata was having a wonderful time. _If only I knew who Naruto was…_

Naruto was finally getting the hang of it. _This is kinda fun! She is so graceful and nice. She knows exactly what to do and when I mess up she just smiles. Oh man… if only she would like the real me…_ Naruto was in the middle of a slower dance with the woman he was supposed to protect. She looked like she wanted to rest her head on his shoulder, but resisted. _It is almost like she is looking for someone… I wish it were me._ After the song ended, the yellow haired beauty told him that she needed to rest. Naruto smiled. "How about we go up to the upper landing?" "Um… Ok. That sounds nice." Naruto had a sudden urge to pick her up in his arms and jump to the walkway. He shook the idea out of his head and they walked together up the stairs to over look the entire ball scene. Naruto rested his arms on the railing and looked down into what had once been a battle arena. Naruto had been keeping most of his senses alert for trouble. Enhanced by the Kyuubi, he would be able to tell if anyone in here, or in the entire village, suddenly had a burst of killing intent. Naruto was happy to sense no trouble.

Hinata was also looking out into the sea of people for another reason._ Where are you, Naruto?_ Naruto was just too good, she couldn't tell who most of the people were. For all she knew the guy next to her was Naruto._ As good of man as any to tell, I guess._

"Um… I don't know your name, but thanks for dancing with me."

"Oh, it was my pleasure. I don't get to dance very often. Are you from… around here?"

"Y...yeah."

"Do you think that, maybe after all this is over, you might want to dance again?" Hinata wasn't ready for this. _I can't say yes. I only really want to dance with Naruto…_

"Uh… actually I am... kinda... already in love with this one guy…"

"Oh…"

"He… he is a ninja here. I was kind of hoping to see him here, but I can't recognize him…"

"Who is it? Maybe I can help." _Well, here it goes. Hold together, Hinata. _

"I… um… his name is Naruto… I have been in love with him since as long as I can remember! You see, he is always working hard and doing his best to achieve his dreams. He is a great ninja and cute and funny and… oops! I am sorry… I didn't mean to gush on and on about him to you…" The man next to her was just staring at her.

"N…no, that's… it… I'm ok with it."

"I liked him from the first day we met. Then later it just sort of turned into a crush. Then he left for so many years and returned. I knew that after all of those years that it couldn't just be a crush. I couldn't stop thinking about him, even when he had been gone for three years." Hinata sighed. "I don't even know if he even knows who I am, though. I can't tell him… I love him. I just can't, it is just so hard to even talk to him. But I will help him from afar so that one day he can achieve his dream of becoming Hokage. He will do it, I know he will…"

_Well… what do I do?_ Naruto just stared at the misty-eyed girl next to him. She was staring into space and thinking about him! And he was under specific orders to not reveal who he was for another hour!

"You know, I sort of know what you mean. You never told him you loved him and I have always told the girl I thought I loved that I loved her. I know now that it wasn't real love, but still the rejection over and over again… it hurts. So I could see why you never told this Naruto guy. I mean, when you are in love it's a double edged sword. You could be as happy as ever if the other one loves you in return, but one-sided love is just as painful as not knowing. I mean, every time she said no to me it was like a kunai running through my heart. I would always just shrug it off on the outside, but... but, hey. That is just me, this Naruto guy must be one lucky guy to be loved by you. I bet if you told him that he would accept it in a heart beat. If he doesn't then he must be really stupid."

"Well, Naruto isn't stupid…"

"And there you go! If this Naruto is as nice of guy as you say he is then he won't be able to resist such a cute girl as you!"

"But, this is a henge…"

"So? I can tell that you are just a beautiful on the inside as the outside."

"Thank you, mysterious man."

"No problem, beautiful lady."

* * *

Tsunade was enjoying the party as much as anyone. She didn't use a henge because it was necessary for everyone to know who she was. Well, actually she was using a powerful genjutsu, but she was always using that. Tsunade glanced up at the couple she knew must be Naruto and Hinata. Not one person who had past by her had not been talking about the two.

"Did you see that guy? He is gorgeous! And what a dancer! Too bad that girl got to him first…"

"Hey, did you see that girl up there dancing? It was like watching a sunrise. I can't even imagine how graceful the girl is in real life!"

"Tsunade! Who are those two up there?"

Tsunade smiled. She had been observing the entire ball and was quite proud of herself. This was a chance for everyone to get to know who they actually liked… without being stuck on a cute face. Ino was on Choji's arm. Shikamaru and Temari, though they were already together anyway were having fun. Neji, the reserved Hyuga genius, was dancing with Ten-ten in a way that would make Kiba ashamed. Lee was following Sakura around and it looked like she wasn't resisting him at all. It was actually funny to see Kurenai and Kakashi dancing, though at the end of the night it would probably mean a slap in Kakashi's face. Jiraiya looked like his younger self and been flirting with any woman in reach. Tsunade was going to laugh out loud when he realized his dance partner was actually an 11 year old genin. _Only minutes to go until everyone here gets a shock. _Tsunade smiled.

So did the figure on the roof. He was thinking the exact same thing. Red eyes glowed in the dark as three toa began to spin.

* * *

Naruto couldn't bear to hold it in. _Some one in front of me loves me and I don't even know who it is! How can I just wait?_ Naruto was about to release his henge when he sensed someone who he had hoped to never sense again.

"Everyone!" Instantly the ball became silent. Only five more minutes and the party was calming down. "Everyone, remain calm. Tsunade! Itachi is on the roof!" Suddenly every ninja in the building was in a ready stance. "Tsunade, I got this one." When Tsunade nodded he disappeared. He felt bad about leaving the girl behind but if Itachi was after either him or her he needed to be taken out. _And I haven't been training for nothing!_

Itachi was surprised. He had been using he best stealth to not be detected until he could get the Kyuubi. Suddenly he was surrounded by ten clones he was not familiar with. His sharingan easily saw who it was, though.

"Well, this makes my job easier."

"I was about to say the same thing."

"You think that you, a lowly chunin, can defeat me?"

"Oh, we can do much more then just defeat you!" the Narutos shouted. Suddenly Itachi knew something was wrong. All ten of the clones began to create a jutsu he had only heard of.

"Rasengan!" They shouted as they ran towards him. Itachi laughed at the pathetic speed at which they came at him.

"You will need to do better then that!" Itachi ran towards the only Naruto to not charge, sweeping past the clones. Naruto was punched in the gut and collapsed to the ground. Itachi made to pick him up, but was surprised when it disappeared in smoke. "Wha" Itachi didn't have a chance to finish his exclamation as he was lifted into the air by a powerful punch from below. The real Naruto was coming up with him.

"You and everyone else just keep underestimating me…" Itachi predicted Naruto's next move, but wasn't fast enough to stop it. _Speed... _Naruto's foot connected with his jaw, spinning him sideways in midair before Naruto's other leg came down into his stomach, propelling him three meters into the street that was a few stories below. Itachi was on his feet in an instant, but felt the pain of the attack._ How?_ Naruto was on him. They began fighting with fist and foot at near the speed of sound, each punch not touching the other, but breaking the sound barrier so it sounded like intense and constant thunder to the only observers.

"You think… that I just went away… for three years… then come back… seclude myself in training… for five more years… never taking one day off… to not improve AT ALL!" Naruto landed a kick into Itachi's chest, throwing the S-ranked ninja into a wall. "I swore to be this village's Hokage! Do you really think I would take eight years off? How do you think I was able to kill Sasuke?"

Naruto nimbly dodged Itachi's kunai and punched him in the face, throwing him once again into the wall, collapsing it. Itachi broke out and jumped onto the roof tops in an attempt to escape. Naruto was in front of him in an instant. Itachi tried to evade him, but at every turn he was met with Naruto. _How can anything be that fast? _Naruto would be one place for less then a second and when Itachi tried to attack him he would disappear, only to end up behind Itachi while he was still releasing his punch. Itachi felt the pain of kicks that should have gone through him. Naruto finally stopped playing with him. He looked Itachi in his eyes with eyes equally red, though with slits, not blades.

"I might not have sharingan. I might not have a blood line. But I have friends who need my protection. I was given a curse twenty some years ago. A curse which haunts me to this day. But it is not just a curse. I use it for my friends and precious ones!" Naruto took his fist, now glowing with red chakra with nails extended and sharp as steal. He thrust it into Itachi's shoulder, ripping it from his body. Itachi screamed in pain. "Now I was having a wonderful night until you showed up. So now, I guess, it is time I show you what I have hidden from everyone else for eight years. This demon inside of me isn't the only thing I received from the Fourth."

Naruto was instantly a foot in front of Itachi. Itachi didn't even have time to think as his rib cage was broken by Naruto's fist. Itachi flew back, through a wall, and into the middle of the dance floor. He managed to stand. Naruto, still in his henge, appeared before him in a flash. He was holding a glowing, green orb that swirled with deadly energy. Not a normal rasengan at all. It was giving off a very high pitched sound.

"Itachi Uchiha, for the murder of the Uchiha clan and other criminal activities too numerous to count I sentence you to death. Say hello to Orochimaru in hell!"

Naruto shoved the glowing ball into Itachi's chest. Everyone in the arena couldn't help but watch as the standing body of the ninja screamed in agony for what seemed like minutes as the glowing ball began to enter his chest. The whirling of the chakra in Naruto's hand did not cease, but instead sped up until Itachi's chest enveloped the chakra completely. Suddenly Naruto let go of the chakra's control. That much energy, no longer in check by Naruto, exploded outwards. Naruto was thrown into the wall by the force of the explosion. Itachi… was not so lucky. Itachi was thrown everywhere. Pieces of the infamous murder covered the walls, ceiling, floor and ninja around the hall. Naruto managed to pull himself out of the wall. His henge still unbroken. "Hey, Tsunade. I got him." Naruto walked over to the Hokage, not even breathing hard. Tsunade just stared at the man before her. She glanced at Jiraiya.

"Jiriya, what the hell were you thinking teaching this kid those moves?"

"Don't look at me, I haven't taught the kid a thing in almost three years! Most of that he made himself! I knew he was strong, but damn that kid got fast." No one in the room, except maybe Shikamaru, had any idea what was going on.

"Who the hell is that? He just wiped the floor with an S-rank!"

"Did you see that jutsu? It looked like the Fourth's, but more powerful!"

"Who is he? He sure is cute."

Tsunade stared back at Naruto. The chunin looked back, smiling at finally being able to let loose. _This kid…_

"Wait, did you say… Orochimaru is dead?"

"Yes… I didn't feel like including it in the report…"

"WHY THE HELL NOT?"

"Because he had already taken Sasuke as his next body!"

Sakura and Ino gasped. Everyone had heard of how Sasuke Uchiha had come back one day and gotten in a fight with Naruto. Everyone had thought Naruto had killed him...

"Orochimaru came back a year ago a threatened this town and all the people in it. Told me I couldn't stop him. He was gloating, and trying to get me to fight him. So I obliged. He died, but obviously Sasuke's body was the one destroyed. No one seemed to care that Sasuke was already dead…" Naruto dropped the henge now, revealing his true self. "So now, Itachi is dead. Ok, it is done. I am tired so let me…" Naruto suddenly fell flat on his face. It took everyone a second to realize that he had a kunai stuck in his leg. Tsunade was the first to act. She grabbed Naruto in her arms and started running towards the hospital.

"This party is over, Jiriya come with me." Everyone was too stunned to move. Only a few people even had the mind to wipe off the blood and flesh covering them. Hinata, protected from the carnage on the upper landing, couldn't move. _Wait, the man I had danced with… the guy I told about my love… the one who saved us from Itachi… that was… Naruto? So he knows? I think that I should pass out, but I feel more relieved then anything. He didn't say that he didn't like me in return… Naruto… wait… Naruto is hurt!_ Hinata broke out of her shock and ran off in the direction Tsunade had headed._ Don't let me lose him now!_

Everyone who hadn't broken out of their disguise already released their henge. It didn't even seem to surprise anyone. Ino was silently crying into the slightly surprised Choji's shoulder. Sakura was frozen in place with Lee behind her, thinking about how she had treated Naruto for the last few years. Neji and Ten-ten walked hand in hand as they went out of the door. Kakashi was staring at the spot where Itachi had finally been destroyed, wondering how his former student could surpass even him without his knowing. Shino fed his bugs off of the chakra rich meat of Itachi. Every single person silently prayed for the young man who had saved them.

* * *

"Master Jiraiya! What is wrong with him?" Hinata had arrived to find Tsunade working diligently over Naruto's unconscious form.

"You must be Hinata. I have no idea. Tsunade never talks while she treats patients…"

"SHUT UP! I'M WORKING!"

"You see…" Hinata wanted to go into the room where Tsunade's hands glowed blue over her loved one. Naruto looked like he was in pain. The wound made by the kunai was clean, and looked fine. _Poison!_ Hinata ran to Naruto's side. Tsunade would have told her to go away, but she needed all of her concentration. Hinata looked at Naruto's perspiring and fevered form. _No… I just told him I loved him! He might not even know who told him! He can't…_ Tsunade was sweating. She had never had to fight such a persistent poison. Her chakra appeared to be just enough to hold it back, but not enough to eliminate it. She strained her chakra reserves._ Come on… come on… I am not letting another die!_ Hinata held Naruto's hand, cold and sweaty as it was, as tried to rub some warmth into it. _Naruto… Naruto, wake up!_ Hinata Hyuga did not know it, but it was that touch, her love, and a small portion of chakra that she pulsed into his body completely on accident, cutting off chakra to his arm, that saved him. Tsunade felt it. It was as if the area she was healing got smaller. It required less chakra. Which, in a sense, it did. When the chakra already inside of his body no longer had access to one arm, the rest of the chakra concentrated in the rest of his body. Tsunade's chakra became more effective as she was pouring her own into a smaller area.

"Hinata, cut off all chakra to Naruto's other arm and leg, NOW!" Hinata had no idea what was going on, but she obeyed the Hokage. Instants later Tsunade was winning. The poison was now being fought by much more concentrated chakra. Tsunade managed to smile through her sweat._ Good job, Hinata. Not only did you save Naruto, but now we know how to fight poison better! You might have just made the medical breakthrough of the decade!_ It was only a minute later when Tsunade stopped, sure that the poison was all gone. Naruto's face became calm and his body temperature returned to normal. Hinata smiled and brushed one of his spiky strands of hair off of his face.

"So, Hinata. I take it you told him."

"Y…yes, Lady Tsunade."

"Good, you should be here when he wakes up in a few hours."

"I wouldn't think of leaving."

Tsunade once again smiled as she left the room, leaving Naruto and Hinata alone. _Yep, mission accomplished. _

* * *

"But Hinata, I don't want any of this healthy food. I want some ramen!"

"N…Naruto… you… you must eat it or you won't get better!"

"But I am better already!" Naruto had only woken up minutes ago and found Hinata asleep at his bed side. When Tsunade had arrived and decided to feed him some gross… vegetables… he had immediately complained.

"Besides, there are vegetables in ramen!"

"Ugh! Naruto, you might be one hell of a ninja, but you are not a good patient at all!" Tsunade grabbed a bowl of ramen that she had had prepared, knowing full well Naruto would reject the vegetables. "Here, now stop complaining and let Hinata take care of you."

"Thanks, Granny Tsunade!"

"Brat!"

"Old Lady!" Naruto snickered as the Hokage's eye twitched.

"Naruto… if you weren't already in the hospital you would be soon." Tsunade left the room to try to do some paper work.

"Hinata… why were you here when I woke up?" Naruto's blunt question caught Hinata by surprise.

"Um… I… well… you got hurt… so… um…"

"Hinata, last night I met the greatest girl ever. She had blond hair and a red dress and blue eyes. She told me that… she loved me. Did you catch who it was after I went down?" Hinata blushed._ He said I'm the greatest girl ever. _

"Well… um… I… know…w…who it was…" Naruto lit up.

"Really, who was it?"

"I… um… it was… well…" _What should I say? What if he doesn't believe me? Wait…_ "…henge!" Suddenly Hinata was surrounded by smoke. Naruto coughed a few times before opening his eyes to find the same girl from last night, except in Hinata's clothes. _What? You can't mean… oh… wow! It was Hinata!_ Naruto's face went from shocked to happy in a second.

"Hinata… you mean that girl from last night was… you?"

"Y…y…yes."

"Did you really mean all that?"

"Y…y…yes." Hinata looked like a ripe tomato. She turned her face away from Naruto's, but his hand caught her chin just as it was turning away. He brought it closer to his.

"Well, the feeling is mutual…" Naruto brought his head off of the hospital bed to meet Hinata's. Their lips met and they kissed for what seemed to Hinata like hours.

"Naruto…" Hinata smiled at him right before she past out on top of him.

"I love you too."


End file.
